Promises and Smiles
by Ruff Collie
Summary: [AeriSeph] CHAPTER FOUR UP! Long forgotten memories cause a certain swordsman and flower girl to pause before carrying out what destiny had inevitably planned for them. Who said destiny cannot be altered? Some Cloti and Yuffentine.
1. In Memoriâ

**Promises and Smiles**

**by RuffCollie**

He stood hidden above her, his brilliant green eyes radiating a loose insanity. As he looked down upon the Cetra's serene form, his defiant smirk grew even larger. Every fiber of Sephiroth's being sang as the scalding rush of adrenaline screamed in his veins. His kill was sitting so peacefully in front of him, and he would have the privilege of destroying that hard earned tranquility. Gloved fingers tightened their grip on the beloved Masamune. It would just be too easy. A simple, graceful leap, and one quick shove of his gleaming sword was all it would take; her life would be claimed.

Suddenly, the damned Cetra broke her concentration and looked up, sensing another's prescence. Sephiroth froze; he had not expected this. Even though his form was hidden by deep, overlapping shadows, his bright, mako filled eyes would certainly give his covert hiding place away. As he had thought, her eyes met his with a spark of fear in them. The Ancient inhaled sharply, tensing for a moment; unexpectedly, however, she relaxed quickly and gave the former general a wavering, almost _comforting_ smile.

Sephiroth's mind reeled in shock as those deep, doelike eyes dragged memories out of the forgotten recesses of his brain. Things almost better forgotten played themselves out in front of both Aeris' and Sephiroth's eyes, as if they had happened yesterday.

_'I promise...'_

**Disarm you with a smile,  
Cut you like you want me to.**

"Who're _you_?"

The thirteen year old boy halted in his hurried pace, perplexed by the sound of a small voice behind him. Confused, the young Sephiroth whipped his lithe form around, only to stare down at a tiny girl no older than five. The mischeivious, emerald eyes which studied him in amusement were framed by wisps of mousy brown hair; her form was clothed in a radiant yellow dress. Sephiroth paused.

"What's it matter to you?"

To his utter astonishment, the child giggled girlishly, grasping at the hem of her dress. Her grin grew wider.

"Nice to meet you too, mister! It's just that there are no other fun people to talk to around this lab place, and you looked nice!"

Sephiroth, already growing quite a bit annoyed with the child, turned heel and began to stomp off. However, the girl's chubby hand grabbed at his, latching on like a leech and holding him back with as much force as a five year old could muster. Sephiroth sighed in agitation, turning around once again; to his surprise, she wasn't there. His wide-eyed stare only lasted for a split second as the boy felt a heel dig itself into his bare foot. Sephiroth let a small yelp escape his lips as his hand shot out to grab the girl's arm. His grip tightened when she struggled to pull away; he glared at her fiercely.

"Go away!" Sephiroth snapped sharply, only loosening his grip when the girl began to whimper softly.

She looked up at him, her sweet little emerald eyes watering with unshed tears. Sephiroth sighed, releasing his hold on her quickly. He wasn't so cruel as to make a child suffer like that.

"Sorry, mister," the girl whispered, stroking the angry, crimson mark that had appeared on her forearm. "You don't hafta tell me your name. I was just trying to be polite, like Mama and the Planet told me to."

Sephiroth looked away, a bit of guilt overtaking him at his actions. He was almost ashamed of what he had done to the girl, although he could not understand why. '_It's because she's probably one of Hojo's specimens. She did mention the Planet, which means she's most likely an Ancient...' _He tried to rationalize his actions in his mind, even if he felt as if it was something else.

"It's okay," the adolescent mumbled, staring away at the wall, "It's Sephiroth, in any case."

Sephiroth almost let a smile creep on to his lips as he saw the girl's eyes light up in glee. Something about her made him feel at peace, like he could just relax for once in his young life. Her happiness and bright personality were incredibly infectious. She tugged at her hem again, a huge grin taking over her face.

"Yay! Nice to meet you, Seph-ee-rawth!" she gushed, "My name is Aeris! Will you play with me?"

Sephiroth winced as the little Aeris butchered his name. Exhaling with slight annoyance, the boy groaned; he already felt a headache floating on the edge of his mind. Rubbing his temples lightly, he peeked at Aeris through one eye.

"I'm not sure there's much to do around here," Sephiroth commented dully, glacing around at their bleak, metal coated surroundings.

"Sure there is!" Aeris chirped, reaching out and taking Sephiroth's left hand in both of hers. "You just have to use your imagination!"

"Sure, kid..."

**Cut that little child  
Inside of me and such a part of you  
Oh, the years burn.**

Aeris peeked around the corner of the barren, white washed corridor, glancing about carefully before she tiptoed to the other side with dramatic slowness. A now fourteen year old Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the six year old's actions; he had been following her for the better part of the day, and she still wouldn't tell him what she was up to. He crossed his arms over his chest with a small sigh as he continued to watch her.

"Aer, may I ask what you're doing?" Sephiroth called out, "It's getting somewhat annoying at this point."

Aeris startled, then jumped up and scampered over to the older boy, waving her stick-like arms about wildly.

"SHHH!" she hushed sharply, looking around her frantically, "Quiet! I can't let anyone to hear, Seph!"

Sephiroth snickered a bit, kneeling in front of the upset girl. His smile softened somewhat as he reminisced over the past eight months he had spent in her presence. Aeris' bright attitude made day to day life in Hojo's lab much more bearable than it would of been. Even though the adolescent would have liked others his own age to socialize with, he had to admit the young girl did wonders with his poor human interaction. She made him not so afraid to face Hojo; in fact, she gave him the courage and sanity of mind to face every day. He was especially thankful for those small favours.

"Oh?" Sephiroth questioned, shaking himself out of his thoughts, "What can't anyone hear?"

Aeris studied him with a slight squint, her attempts at trying to look important just making her even more adorable.

"Fine!" she huffed, "I'll tell you! But you hafta promise to keep it a secret, 'kay?"

Sephiroth bit back a laugh and nodded as Aeris wrapped her arms around his neck and prepared to whisper her little secret in his ear.

"Mama and I are escaping tonight!" she whispered out softly, "One of the lab assistant people is helping us!"

With those two simple sentences, all Sephiroth could feel was numbness. Aeris was leaving? The only person to ever move the unflappable Sephiroth...He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, trying to force himself to be joyful for the little flower. She, more the anyone, deserved to get out of this cruel hellhole. Escape from here would save her from growing up to be as cold and distant as him. The fourteen year old never wanted her to lose that unique, hopeful fire in her innocent eyes; it would be a tragedy if she ever did. He wrapped his arms around her tiny form, hugging her close.

"That's great, Aeris!" he managed to sqeeze out, trying desperately to sound happy, "Maybe you'll finally get to see the real sky...you can tell me about it someday, you know?"

Aeris pulled back, petting his soft, silver strands of hair gently with a sad look pressed on her countenance.

"Mama says we can't take you with us, Seph." She whimpered, tears beginning to form in her grief-stricken eyes. "I'm really, really, really sorry. I'm gonna miss you so much! Y-You were so nice to me!"

With that, Aeris threw herself at Sephiroth, gripping at his shoulders so hard that her fingers turned white from the pressure. Sobs wracked her tiny form as she choked out half recognizable apologies.

Sephiroth managed a smile as he pried Aeris off him, looking her firmly in the eye. The girl sniffled quietly, wiping her nose on the side of her hand.

"Don't worry, Aer," Sephiroth said as he ruffled her hair, "I'll see you again sometime. When I'm all big and famous, I'll take you outside of Midgar, and we'll even ride a chocobo together! Just like you wanted. We'll plant flowers and visit the beach together."

Aeris' face suddenly lit up with a tiny grin as she hiccuped, staring at Sephiroth imploringly. She reached out with her pinky finger curled slightly.

"Promise?"

He hooked his finger in hers.

"Promise."

**I used to be a little boy  
So old in my shoes.  
What I choose is my choice  
What's a boy supposed to do?**

Sephiroth groaned in agitation, running a hand through his nearly flawless mane of silver. Of course the exhaulted general just _had_ to be present at every single one of these gaudy parades; after all, he was ShinRa's crowning achievement. He shifted slightly in the stiff dress uniform, glancing at the jubilant masses. Itching his arm absently, he let his face become drawn with boredom. ShinRa loved to have their glamorous, but constant powertrips; he abhorred being anywhere near them. He could have been taking part in more useful activities, such as planning the next strike on Wutai.

Yawning, Sephiroth waved offhandedly at the cheering crowds. The twenty four year-old just hoped he wouldn't have to sit in on another meeting after this. His place was on the front lines, not in the boring confines of the ShinRa headquarters. Besides, the higherups had quite the tendency to go on and on about the most mediocre of subjects. Who really cared about taking a census on the number of tonberries in all of Gaea? A war was being fought, and yet that seemed to be the last thing the company was focusing on.

"Fresh, beautiful flowers! Only one gil a piece! Come on, sir! Impress your sweetheart at home!"

Sephiroth frowned slightly as he overheard a saleswoman, his forehead creasing in confusion. Flowers? Fresh? Midgar? Impossible. Leaning forward towards the direction he heard the voice come from, the General caught a flash of pink and brown. A mere slip of a girl was meandering through the crowds with a basket of the most vibrant flowers cradled in her arms. Suddenly, as several people called out that the great general was about to pass, the girl turned around.

For the second time in his life, Sephiroth was ensnared by glittering, ivy colored eyes. Entranced, he sucked in a heavy breath of the stiff air. He knew now who it was; no one else could ever even hope to possess eyes like that. She had barely changed. Memories from over a decade ago suddenly appeared in front of him with a splash of dazzling joy. Promises were recalled. It just had to be her; not anyone else. Only a Cetra, with their deep connection to the Planet, could grow flowers in a place such as Midgar.

The much admired General unexpectedly stood up, raising a single, gloved hand to halt his extravagant float. Normally, it would have been a problem if he had stopped in the middle of a parade, but seeing as he was last in line, the man had no problem with it. ShinRa had saved 'the best for last', he noticed, snorting in amusement.

Many people lining the streets stared up in wonder as the great Sephiroth stopped immediately in front of them. Their confusion did not last for long, though; with one, graceful leap, Sephiroth was standing quite imposingly on the edge of the street. The general cleared his throat.

"Aeris."

The flower girl froze, barely daring to move. What would General Sephiroth want with her, a lowly slums girl? People seated in such high places in the world should not have anything to do with those who live beneath the plate of Midgar. Haltingly, the sixteen year old twirled around, squeezing her precious basket against her chest.

"Y-Yessir?" she managed to squeak out as Sephiroth sidled closer to her at an easy pace.

"Don't you remember me, Aer?" Sephiroth implored softly, coming to stand in front of her, "Surely you remember when we were young? You were, ah, five or six, I believe..."

Aeris Gainsborough choked in a breath of air, nearly dropping her basket. She looked at the proud man in front of her, hardly daring to believe what he was telling her. She, living in the large city of Midgar, had of course heard of General Sephiroth. However, the Ancient had never really considered the fact that this Sephiroth may be the same one who had been her childhood friend. _'Of course it all makes sense now,' she realized. 'Those eyes, that hair, that proud stature...'_

"Seph!" she cried out almost childishly, suddenly feeling very light-headed and extremely giddy.

With a broad grin, Aeris let out a yelp of glee and launched herself towards a very surprised, yet secretly pleased Sephiroth. After pausing to make sure her flowers were placed carefully on the ground, the flower girl tackled Sephiroth full force. The general made a sort of wheezing noise, patting the girl's back awkwardly.

"Nice to see you too, Aeris," Sephiroth said, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

All of a sudden, Aeris remembered where she was and who she was with. The Ancient pulled out of her enthusiastic embrace, her face an interesting shade of red. She edged off to the side, coughing lightly and fiddling with the hem of her crimson jacket. Picking up her basket, the flower girl stared at the ground sheepishly.

"W-Well, uh, I'll be going, then," she managed to choke out, still blushing, "N-Nice seeing you again, uhm, Mr. S-Sephiroth..."

As she turned to leave, Sephiroth placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Going so soon?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow, "Really, now. Why don't you join me for dinner this evening? It's been what, ten years? I do believe we have some catching up to do."

Aeris glanced up at Sephiroth hesitantly, then let a brief, nervous smile show.

"Why not?"

**The killer in me is the killer in you,  
My love.  
I'll send this smile over to you.**

Dinner went amazingly. As soon as Sephiroth brought up the pair's past adventures, the flower girl absolutely glowed with joy. The only thing anyone could hear coming from their table was hearty laughs and warmth, especially after Sephiroth brought up the wonderful little occassion when they had snuck into Hojo's lab and switched the labels on a few different specimens. After Aeris' giggling had dwindled to a reasonable level and the check had been accounted for, the general cemented more serious features on to his face, intertwining his hands together on their tabletop resting place.

"I'm really quite glad we were able to see each other again," Sephiroth remarked softly, leaning back into the comfortable chair.

"So am I," Aeris replied with a dazzling smile, pulling on her jacket, "But really, Seph! It's not every day that you find out your childhood friend 'Mr. Seph-ee-rawth' is some super famous war hero!"

Sephiroth chuckled as he regared Aeris fondly; even after a decade of absence, she was still the only one who could open him up. He was extremely glad she hadn't lost a speck of the blinding purity in her heart.

"Yes, well," The general stood, pushing in his chair, "We really must be going now; your mother must be wondering where you are."

Aeris startled, flailing about wildly in an attempt to see the clock. When she noticed it was only 9:30 PM, however, she relaxed a great deal.

"Nah," she said with a smile, pushing in her chair, "Usually I'm out until eleven selling my flowers. It's fine."

Sephiroth nodded, offering Aeris his arm. She blushed deeply, but accepted it, resting her petite hand on his forearm. The two left the resturant and proceeded to take a slow-paced walk around the vibrantly lit upper Midgar. Aeris, not busy with her sales, had time to absorb the view above the plate. She stared about in wonder, much to a certain general's amusement. He sighed mentally; Aeris was such a wonder: innocence in a city with sin lurking around every corner. How could he not adore her?

"Ah, what time is it?" Aeris asked suddenly, breaking Sephiroth from his thoughts as they stopped on the side of a street.

"Ten-thirty," Sephiroth replied after checking his pocket watch, "Why?"

"I really do think I should be heading back now," Aeris sighed, a hint of disappointment present in her voice, "Sorry, Seph."

Sephiroth flashed a small smile towards her, shaking his head.

"No, it's quite all right. I have to go to sleep soon, anyway. Big meeting tomorrow." Sephiroth mentally grimaced; with his luck, Reeve would be spouting off more far-fetched invention ideas. "I'll walk you home, in any case. Where do you live?"

Aeris fidgeted a bit, glancing down at her feet in an embarrased gesture.

"Well, uh...below the plate, in the slums," she winced, staring at her extremely interesting shoelaces.

Sephiroth frowned, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Aeris had told him all about how her real mother, Ilfalna, had died and how a woman named Elmyra Gainsborough had taken her in, yet she neglected to mention her poor living conditions. He exhaled, and to Aeris' surprise, wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace, just like he had all those years ago.

"It's all right, Aer," Sephiroth murmered into her silky hair, "You don't have to be embarrased. Most people in the city live like that, anyway."

Aeris whispered something, but hesitantly returned the hug with the tiniest smile present on her face.

"Thanks, Seph," she smiled, pulling away and hooking her arm in his again, "Now, I really do have to be getting home."

The general nodded, allowing her to take the lead as he immersed himself in his own thoughts.

_'She doesn't have to live like that,'_ he thought bitterly, _'I'll make sure she doesn't one day. I'll keep all those promises to her, and I'll provide her with even more. She'll have such a comfortable life with me, and-'_

Sephiroth's eyes widened as he mentally shook himself, banishing those traitorous thoughts from his mind. It wasn't like Aeris was his wife or something, as he was making it sound in his mind. Although...Aeris stopped in front of a comfortable looking house, pulling him out of his reverie.

"Well, this is it!" the flower girl remarked cheerfully, trying her best not to look disappointed that Sephiroth had to leave.

Sephiroth chuckled, placing his hands on her shoulders, his eyes boring deeply into hers. Aeris froze, managing to gain all the appearences of a chocobo caught in the headlights. The general noticed that a faint blush had started on her cheeks and was creeping in every direction across her face in a fierce battle to take it over. Sephiroth dragged a gentle finger across the flowergirl's jawline, leaning forward quite a great deal. He had to admit that he was letting his feelings control him very quickly, but he couldn't resist this beautiful flower any longer. He had waited too long to see her again, and now that he had found her, he wanted to show her his true feelings. It was now or never.

Aeris' startled gasp was muffled as Sephiroth's lips brushed against hers; the touch felt so light, almost unsure. Her heart fluttered almost painfully, as if it was a moth yearning to break free and touch the gorgeous light. This was General Sephiroth! He was incredibly admired by myriads of teenage girls like herself, and not to mention almost eight years older than her! What was she thinking? She had just been reunited with him today!

_'Yet...this all feels so right,'_ Aeris realized, fondly thinking back through her wonderful evening with the general. Firming her resolve, the girl pushed away all doubts. She had feelings for the man, and she was not going to let anything short of the Planet stand in her way. Smiling mentally, Aeris sighed against Sephiroth and returned the kiss warmly, tangling her hands in his moonlight soaked hair.

Sephiroth was the first to pull away, his breathing slightly strained. He pressed his forehead against Aeris', still staring deeply into her now violently green eyes. The general sucked in a bit of air, moving forward to brush his lips against his flowergirl's ear.

"I believe, Ms. Gainsborough," he paused, regaining a bit more of his breath, "that you are the only one who has ever brought the Great Sephiroth to his knees. Congratulations.

** ooooooooooooooooooooo **

Two glorious months passed, and inevitably, Sephiroth had to return to his duties commanding his troops on the frontlines in Wutai. The threat that the enemy was posing was growing larger, and the man found he could no longer send orders from Midgar. Both Aeris and Elmyra were extremely saddened to see Sephiroth leave. Elmyra had become quite fond of the general after their first successful, albeit suspicious meeting. Aeris was upset to see her newly found love leave so quickly, but she put on her bravest face and assured Sephiroth she would be absolutely fine. Aeris kept to her word, busying herself with tending her flowers and keeping her church in the best shape she could. If she thought about the general at all, it was only fond memories; she stayed well away from the news, afraid to hear anything regarding the war. She recieved the occasional letter from Sephiroth, which simply told her how he was doing(usually 'fine') and that he would be home 'soon'. Four months passed in this manner, and Aeris' seventeenth birthday was just around the corner.

It was just another uneventful day for Aeris. Her flower sales were going as well as usual despite the cold of February. She strolled through the streets, her half-hearted cries mingling in with other shopkeepers'.

_'Just because it's my birthday doesn't mean that anything has to be different,'_ Aeris thought sadly, putting on a fake smile for a woman who had just bought a dozen flowers. The girl had trained herself to be so oblivious to the world that she failed to notice the news that was spreading through Midgar like a rampant virus.

_'Ah, well,'_ Aeris sighed to herself as she finished her rounds two hours early; all her flowers were already sold. _'At least I can buy myself a treat later on...I did make a lot of extra gil today. I wonder why everyone seemed so happy...'_

Aeris approached her house dejectedly, sorely wishing that she could've celebrated today with a certain general. The flowergirl allowed herself to become immersed in her dreary thoughts as she opened the door to her house, yelling half-heartedly that she was home for the day. She placed her empty basket down next to the door, took off her coat and scarf, then turned around.

Like an apparition from a dream, Sephiroth was leaning against the table, his arms crossed against his chest loosely. Aeris squeaked softly, hardly daring to believe the scene in front of her. She couldn't move; it seemed her body had taken a holiday at the moment. Sephiroth, frowning, took a few strides forward and buried Aeris in his arms. She shook against his muscled form quietly, joyful sobs wracking her body.

"Happy birthday, Aeris."

**Disarm you with a smile,  
Leave you like they left me here,  
To whither in denial.**

_"A simple mission..."_

_"...apparently went insane and threw himself into the reactor with..."_

_"...burned Nibelheim to the ground. Survivors are being..."_

_"...spent two days in the basement of the Shinra mansion..."_

Cold. Numbness. She didn't want to believe it. This was all one huge lie. It wasn't the truth. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't. Her Sephiroth wouldn't do that. He wasn't like that! He may be cold at times, but he'd never...her stomach churned.

There was a knock at the door. She opened it. A man in a SOLDIER uniform was there, with something in his hand. He spoke.

_"He left this in his quarters..."_

_"...was thinking about giving this to you when he came back..."_

_"...to marry..."_

_"He always talked about...family...future..."_

She took the box from the man, thanking him. The door closed. She opened the box. A ring?

White gold, diamonds, and emeralds all sparkled on her left ring finger. There was a small note.

_'I'll always be there for you. I promised, didn't I? I'm yours forever, if you wish to be mine._

_Still at his knees for you,  
General Sephiroth'_

She slid against the wall and cried, burying her face in her hands.

"S-Sephiroth..."

**Bitterness of one who's left alone.  
Oh, the years burn.**

Sephiroth stared down at Aeris as she fished the beautiful engagement ring from five years ago out of her pocket and placed it on her finger. She didn't break her gaze with him the entire time. A loud clatter destroyed the tranquility of the Forgotten Capital for a single moment as the Masamune hit the ground; Sephiroth was on his knees, cradling his head in his hands as the insanity proceeded to leave for a few, precious minutes.

"How could I have forgotten?" Sephiroth breathed, old feelings finally resurfacing. He stared at Aeris oddly, who was smiling sadly up at him. She knew what he had to do; he knew also. Their fate was inevitable.

"I don't want to do this!" Sephiroth spat out, trembling as his fingers curled around the hilt of his beloved sword, "I'm sorry, Aeris."

Aeris shook her head, hugging herself tightly and allowing a peaceful smile to overwhelm her face.

"It's all right, Sephiroth," she sighed, clasping her hands in front of her chest. Her ring shined brightly. "I've known for awhile. I'm prepared, and I'll be just fine."

"I know you will," Sephiroth whispered, "I know..."

It would be just a little longer now; the former general could sense that interferring puppet and his rag-tag bunch of warriors approaching as his trance with Aeris was broken. He let himself drink in the sight of his flower girl one last time.

_'How did it come to this?' _Sephiroth thought bitterly, studying his would-be fiancee, _'I could've had everything with her. A family, children, a life outside of misery. How COULD it have come to this?'_

"I love you, Aer," Sephiroth sighed, pushing an errant lock of hair to the side, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that often."

"I love you too, Seph," Aeris smiled, shutting her eyes lightly. "And I forgive you."

For the last time, Sephiroth and Aeris were that awkward boy and that enthusiastic little girl, trapped within the dreary world with only each other to depend on. Back to back they stood, ready to face anything that dared to challenge their deadly resolve. For all their bravado, it still looked as if the darkness of night might triumph and drag the lost children into its void; however, the light of day was just around the corner. Neither of them had ever really lost their hope to regain the lives they once shared; it had simply been misplaced somewhere along the way.

**I used to be a little boy,  
So old in my shoes.  
What I choose is my voice What's a boy supposed to do?  
The killer in me is the killer in you,  
My love.**

"Hey, Seph?"

"Hm?"

Aeris nuzzled Sephiroth's neck softly, a warm smile on her face. She was curled up on his lap, a fuzzy fleece blanket wrapped tightly around their forms.

"Promise me something."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at his little flower girl as he played with a soft curl of her hair.

"What do you want me to promise you NOW?" he asked, tilting his head inquisitively with a small smirk, "Geesh, woman. I've already promised you so much, and you want more?"

Aeris giggled, blushing lightly.

"No, silly. It's nothing that big. Just promise me that no matter what, you'll always take care of me!"

The general let a tiny smile grace his face, not saying anything as he pulled the Ancient closer to him. She rested her head against his chest, preferring to let the beat of his heart lull her to sleep. The fireplace crackled softly; Aeris' breathing evened out as she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. Sephiroth got up carefully, placing Aeris on the couch gently. He dimmed the lights in his apartment and walked back to her, leaning over to give her a loving kiss on the forehead.

_"I promise..."_

In her dreams, she smiled.

_'Yes, I'll be just fine.'_

**I'll send this smile over to you.**

** A/N: So, it's over. I know Sephiroth may seem quite a bit OOC for what you saw in the game, but I really think he was a lot different before going insane. I like angst, by the way. Bittersweetness is the best.**

** Read and review, please! No flames, though. This IS my first FF VII fanfiction...**

** Song: 'Disarm' by the Smashing Pumpkins**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or anything associated with it. All character, places, events, etc, belong the Squarenix.  
**


	2. Calamitas Et Sua Rosa

**Promises and Smiles**

**Chapter Two: Calamitas Et Sua Rosa**

**by Ruff Collie**

Suddenly, Sephiroth realized something.

It wasn't over.

It had never been over, not even for a second.

His majestic form had already taken flight, gliding down towards the innocent young woman who had pulled him back from the precipice of madness. Masamune's sharp glare was hidden by her matte leather sheath; for once in his mess of a life, Sephiroth had made up his own mind. The ex-General had certainly defied fate before, so why should any circumstance change that fact now?

The Calamity's son, once blinded by his own blood lust, had taken his first, tentative steps back into sanity with fully opened eyes. Sephiroth would eventually take care of his 'Mother', but other things were more important at that moment. The knowledge that he had Jenova under his total control assured him that Aeris would not be in any danger.

He landed in a slight crouch next to a wincing Aeris softly, slowly lifting his head to lock his brilliant eyes with her own. The man's body uncoiled into its entire, imposing height.

"Sephiroth?" whispered Aeris, rising hesitantly from from kneeling position. The flower girl clasped her hands against her chest anxiously, a curious look on her face."What...what are you doing?"

"I...," Sephiroth paused, at a loss for words. What _was_ he doing? And what exactly could he tell her?

"You...you aren't going to...you know, from the front, are you?" Aeris squeaked, terror paralyzing her completely as she fell to her knees again; her breathing was shallow, exiting her body in strangled sobs. "Please, please! N-No! I'll...I'll do anything! I don't want to s-see that..."

Sephiroth stepped forward quickly, lowering himself so that he could place a gloved hand on Aeris' shoulder. Of course she would be afraid of him doing that, especially with what he had become. Haltingly, the ex-General let the other hand rest on her cheek in a quiet attempt to get her attention. Sure enough, the flower girl soon glanced up at him through heavy eyelashes.

"Hush," He gave the command in a soft voice, leaning forward to whisper in Aeris' ear. "It will never happen. I refuse to spill your blood, Aeris. You have only ever shown me kindness and understanding."

"B-But...," Aeris stopped, unable to overcome her shock. Taking a deep breath, she continued weakly. "What about my friends! They'll be here soon! And you! Why? What's changed in you?"

Sephiroth exhaled heavily, bowing his head for a few seconds before answering her frantic questions.

"I'll deal with your friends," Fear washed over Aeris' face, and Sephiroth shook his head rapidly before continuing. "Don't worry. I won't harm them. And I'll lend you my strength to defeat Jenova. It is...the least that I can do to redeem myself."

"Sephiroth..." Aeris looked away, her face completely unreadable. She closed her eyes for a second, before pulling away from Sephiroth and turning around completely; her entire frame began to shake violently.

"Aeris?" Sephiroth asked, uncertainty lacing his voice. He glanced at his hands, wondering what he had done wrong. 'Maybe I really am past redeeming...' Resting a hand on her shoulder, he braced himself for the worst.

What Sephiroth did not expect to see was a very joyful Aeris face him slowly, tears patiently making their way down her face. He stared at the girl in shock, perplexed by her sudden mood change. She only responded with a tiny, almost shy smile. This in itself was strange enough; however, her next actions shook the very depths of his blackened soul.

Aeris' arms had somehow found their way around his neck, and her head had come to rest on his chest. The flower girl's eyes were closed; she was whispering something frantically and breathlessly. Hesitantly, Sephiroth craned his head forward slightly to hear her better.

"It really is you, Sephiroth. You've come back to me, haven't you?" Aeris was delirious with joy, and liquid euphoria was rushing through her pulsing veins. Grinning widely, she allowed the insanity of it all take over for a few moments. "Seph, it's you. I knew it couldn't have been the real you who had done all those terrible things, and now you're here. You're really here, and I'm not going to die. You won't let me. I'm not going to die..."

"Aeris..."

With a bashful smile, she pressed her lips against Sephiroth's for the first time in five years. Instantly, his vibrant green eyes widened from the impact her actions had left on his mind. Nothing could have ever prepared him for this moment; it wasn't even fated to happen, but that simply made everything even more surreal and a thousand times more precious. Pulling away from Aeris, the ghost of a smile appeared on his lips as he held her closer; he noticed that his neck had become wet with her delightful tears.

As much as he would have loved to stay there with Aeris, Sephiroth knew their gentle exchange would soon have to come to an end. He could sense Cloud and his group coming perpetually closer, meaning he would need to act soon. Placing his hands on Aeris' shoulders, the man pulled her away from him slowly.

"They're coming for you," Sephiroth said, carefully picking her up off the ground. "Your friends. Aeris, you need to decide where you want to be."

Aeris only shook her head, attaching herself to Sephiroth once more. As she spoke, her voice vibrated softly against his chest.

"Please, Sephiroth. Don't let go of me again...you've been gone far too long."

He looked at her questioningly.

"I know," she whispered in reply to his silent inquiry. "I'll miss all of them so much. But let's play by Fate's rules this time, hm? I'm...I'm as good as dead."

Gulping, Aeris stared at the ground as she bravely fought off the tears that were coming fast. She shook herself slightly, shivering at the thought of her friends' sorrow upon learning of her supposed death. The idea of betraying and hurting everyone she had shared so much with was almost unbearable, but she felt as if she could not be a part of their lives anymore. In returning to Sephiroth, she had given that up; it would be unrealistic of her to think that they could ever accept her relationship with him. In their eyes, she believed she had become tainted, tainted by the hands of a fledgling god. Pulling away from Sephiroth, the flower girl reached into the pocket of her jacket, playing with her precious ring; absentmindedly, she wondered if Sephiroth still meant what he had written in that note all those years ago. She'd ask him later.

"All right, then," Aeris smiled mournfully, hugging herself tightly. "Let's go. Just...just tell them that you killed me...and disposed of my body...Cloud, I'm sure he'll look, so...I'll just...hide until he's gone, okay?"

After nodding his agreement, Sephiroth moved forward so that he could hold Aeris close again, if only for a brief moment. She sighed quietly, relaxing against him.

"It'll be okay," Sephiroth said awkwardly, trying to find the right words to comfort Aeris. It was hard; what do you tell someone who would never see their best friends again? "You have me, if you so wish it. I'll make up for those lost years, all right?"

Aeris shivered against him, then looked up at his face. Gratitude was glowing in her red-rimmed, overbright eyes.

"Thank you."

**oooooooo**

Frowning, Cloud glanced around at the long abandoned streets of the Forgotten Capital. Something was in the air; it felt as if the entire place was pounding with some sort of static electricity. The spikey haired man gripped the hilt of his sword for comfort. Every minute that passed left him even more worried about Aeris, and the creepy shadows the strange shell-like houses gave off were not helping at all. Something was definitely not right, and they needed to hurry. With a sour look on his face, he motioned to Cid and Vincent, who had accompanied him, to hurry up.

"Goddamnit, boy!" Cid growled agitatedly, flicking some ashes off the end of his cigarette. "We're hurryin', we're hurryin'! Don't get yer goddamn panties in a bunch!"

"I have a feeling," said Cloud, looking away from the other two men, "that something isn't right. I don't think we should keep Aeris waiting."

Vincent glanced over at him, not saying anything.

"What the hell do you mean somethin' ain't-" The pilot suddenly stopped talking, paling considerably. "Aw, shit..."

"Thank the Planet! You're finally getting serious!" Cloud sighed in relief, glaring at Cid.

"Shit, no, Cloud...turn yer ass around!"

"Why..."

He pivoted himself around quickly, immediately falling into a tense battle stance when he saw his greatest advesary standing there with a neutral look on his perfect face. Cid and Vincent were right behind him, readying spear and gun, respectively. Cloud gripped his sword tightly, trying to find solace in the power it gave him. Sephiroth regarded him calmly, the Masamune not even raised.

"Where's Aeris?" questioned Cloud in a demanding voice, trying to hide his shock and a sneaking feeling of fear.

"Oh, your little Cetra girl?" Sephiroth leered at him viciously, like a wolf who had just found a tasty lamb for dinner. "She's dead. I was the one who had the delightful pleasure of killing her."

When the ex-SOLDIER and his comrades made a move to run the way Sephiroth had came, the ex-General raised a hand and shook his head, amused.

"I disposed of her body, puppet. It would be of no use to run after her; you'd find nothing."

"You --" Cloud's face contorted in what looked like terrible pain as he fell to his knees. The ex-SOLDIER began to shake, his body completely tensing up. "You bastard! WHY?"

"Stop acting as if you have real emotions, puppet," Sephiroth scoffed coldly, an arrogant look plastered on to his face. He regarded the pained man below him cooly, stroking the Masamune with a gloved thumb.

"But...Aeris...," gasped Cloud, clutching his stomach as a terrible feeling continued to assault his body. "She was..."

From behind one of the ancient building, a soft whimper sounded out; the owner of that voice could not be mistaken. Cloud immediately jumped to his feet, sending an ice filled glance towards Sephiroth who was calm on the outside but was almost panicking mentally. Why had she cried out!

"Cid! Vincent! Go get her!" Cloud commanded, never taking his eyes off the man who had ruined every single part of his life. OUt of the corner of his eye, he saw the two men running towards the source of Aeris' cry. Steeling his gaze, the ex-SOLDIER stepped forward towards Sephiroth slowly.

"Liar," whispered Cloud quietly. "What were you planning to do with her? Take her as part of your sick plan to destroy the Planet? What, were you going to rape her and then dispose of her body? You...you..."

"Stop speaking of things you do not understand, puppet!" Sephiroth growled, nearly losing his composure. How dare that insignifigant weakling accuse him of wanting to hurt his Aeris! 'But you _were _going to kill her...' a voice in his mind snickered, coldly pointing out the truth. Sephiroth hushed it, a little shaken.

"I understand enough!" spat the ex-SOLDIER, rushing forward to blindly strike his foe, who nimbly dodged the attack.

"You know nothing," Sephiroth hissed, pronouncing each syllable slowly, venom building within his voice. "Maybe you should ask her about her past sometime. You might learn something useful."

With that, Sephiroth took to the air, sparing a last, longing glance towards Aeris. He saw her stare up at him, sorrow evident on her face. It was as if she was just begging him to take her with him.

"I'm sorry, Aeris," he sighed, almost to himself. "I'll be back for you, and you will have me. Wait a little longer."

He was off to take back his real body.

**ooooooo **

On the ground below, Aeris was on the verge of completely breaking down. So much emotional dischord had been her own in the past few hours that she could no longer hold back. Sanity was like a tantalizing dream that she almost remembered but could not quite grasp a complete hold of. The tears began to fall; they were slow at first, but soon gained momentum. She would have collapsed if it hadn't been for her friends' strong grip on her body.

"What's wrong, girl?" Cid asked unsteadily as Aeris began to scream wildly at the sky, occasionally crying out Sephiroth's name. She struggled against his hold, then broke free. "Woah, there. Calm down! What's wrong with ya?"

"Aeris," Vincent commanded quietly, grabbing a hold on her wrist. The disraught girl yelped and tried to pull free, but the ex-Turk would not give her that liberty. "What about Sephiroth? What did he do to you?"

"That...he...left! Bastard..." Aeris groaned, suddenly going limp in Vincent's grasp. He carefully lowered her to the ground, watching as she stared forward despondantly.

"What do you mean 'he left'?" he questioned gently, kneeling in front of her. "Did he hurt you?" At this point, Cloud had joined the three and was staring down at the Cetra in confusion.

Aeris shook her head slowly, still looking to the sky. "He came back to me after so long...," she murmered, reaching into her pocket to take out her beloved ring. The Cetra smiled childishly at the small piece of jewelry, watching it sparkle as she moved it back and forth. "Seph, you're so strange. Through a note! Of course I will...it'll be wonderful, too. We'll have lots of beautiful flowers, and you'll be so amazing in your dress uniform...mom is going to cry, you know. It'll be okay, though..."

Vincent froze as he listened to Aeris' babbling, suddenly understanding what she was referring to. Apparently, Cloud came to the same revelation as his countenance began to show signs of his comprehension. Aeris continued to speak, oblivious to the flabbergasted beings around her.

"What the hell?" Cid was the first to speak up after inhaling from his cigarette. "Why is she talkin' 'bout marryin' that freaky ass silver boy?"

"I think that there's something we don't know," Vincent remarked, studying Aeris' curled form.

Although Cloud did not utter a single word, inside his emotions were coming from all sides, and he no idea what he should feel. Happiness that Aeris was alive, confusion towards the ring and her nonsensical mutterings, fury at Sephiroth for even looking twice her way, and just an overwhelming sensation that something was not right were all whirling around like a dust storm in his mind. Shaking his head slightly, the ex-SOLIDIER fixed his eyes on Aeris for a split second, then motioned for Vincent to pick her up.

Vincent silently reached over and carefully took Aeris into his arms, minding the sharp points on his claw. Her emerald eyes were glazed over, and she was wearing an incredibly content smile. Allowing herself to be picked up like a small child, the confused girl slipped the ring on her finger, then yawned and promptly closed her eyes.

"I believe she's in shock," Vincent said quietly, adjusting his grip on the girl. "She needs a lot of rest. Then I think we can get some answers."

"Damn right we can!" exclaimed Cid, recieving a glare from Cloud when Aeris stirred. The pilot grumbled a bit, pulling out another cigarette to light. "Then let's get 'er ass back to that boney place with all those looney scientists, whatever it's called."

**ooooooo**

There was something warm beside her. Curling up some more, she whimpered a bit and leaned into the sensation. It had been a terribly long time since she had been this content, and she planned on taking full advantage of it. Wrapping her arms around the heat source, Aeris grinned in her drowsy half-sleep.

"Seph...," the Cetra yawned widely, her eyelids working themselves up to a state where they could open fully. Something tugged on the blankets around her. "Mmm, Seph! Stop taking all the covers!" She opened her eyes.

Black strands of fur filled Aeris' vision; throwing herself backwards, she bit back a terrified yelp. A very frightened Cait Sith was staring at her like she was some kind of insane mental patient who had just escaped from her padded room. His mog stood next to her bed, obviously turned off. She sent an apologetic smile towards the stuffed cat, then sat up fully with another drowsy yawn.

"Good morning, Miss!" Cait Sith chirped merrily, having regained his composure. "Are ya feelin' well? You've been out for about two days, y'know. We're in Icicle Inn right now."

"Really?"

"Yeah, everyone's been worried about you," Cait explained. "Especially with what you said before you passed out..."

"Oh...," whispered the girl, averting her gaze to her trembling hands. She already knew what words had slipped out of her mouth in her temporary breakdown.

"They thought that I should talk to you, miss," the cat paused. "That is, if you're all right with it."

Silence swept over the room as Aeris weighed her options. Either way, her friends would most likely never trust her again. After putting them through so much, the least she owed them was the truth about her past and Sephiroth. Her lips twitched slightly as she glanced down at her ring, finally making up her mind.

"Where should I start?" Aeris let out a short laugh, turning her eyes to the ceiling. Vainly, she struggled against the oncoming tears. "Sephiroth and I...well, we met when we were young. I was, oh, around five or six, and I believe he was fourteen. We were both lab specimens of Hojo, and me and him...we became great friends. We were going through the same pain, and I guess we just connected through that."

Cait Sith said nothing, but a certain controller back in Midgar was fighting back rage. Reeve had always hated Hojo; that hatred only strengthened with the knowledge that the scientist had taken Aeris to experiment on as a child. If he possessed any doubt about the matter before, Reeve was completely certain now that his fellow employee lacked any sense of morality.

"Anyway," Aeris continued, fiddling with a corner of her sheets, "after my mother and I escaped, I didn't see Sephiroth at all. That is, until a military parade for Shinra. I was sixteen, and he was twenty-two; I guess he caught my attention, and we went out for dinner that night."

Much emotional turmoil was coiling up inside the flowergirl at this point, so she turned away for a second to gain her face back. She couldn't cry, not now and not at this. Cait Sith's ears were drooping in an almost comical sadness at this point, so when Aeris turned back, she just had to smile. Clearing her throat, she continued.

"We got to my doorstep, and he...well, he kissed me," the girl smiled fondly at the image in the back of her mind. "We became inseparable over the next few months. He had to go to war, but he came back on my seventeenth birthday to spend it with me, and then Nibelheim."

Aeris' mission of fighting her tears at this point had all but been aborted, for she did not stop them from falling freely down her red stained cheeks.

"He...he left this for me," she sobbed, gesturing wildly to her ring, "and also, a note. He was...he was proposing to me. I still have both, because by the Planet, I still love him. I've never stopped, Cait."

Burying her face in her hands in shame, Aeris allowed herself to think that every single person on her team was going to hate her for this. However, she was not going to let their opinions persuade her; she was stronger than that. They could hate her if they wanted. She was beyond caring at this point.

On the other hand, Cait Sith had gone slightly unresponsive. Reeve was deep in thought, and sympathy was his leading emotion in this whole mess. It would be an extremely hard task explaining all that the flowergirl had told him to the team. Clould especially would be crushed. The doll perked up when Aeris continued to speak.

"He's changed, Cait," she said faintly, her lips curling up slightly. "He doesn't want to destroy the Planet anymore. I guess seeing me again changed his mind."

"Oh...well, whaddaya think we should do, miss?" Cait asked gently, watching her curl up under the blankets again.

"You can tell them if you want," she yawned, blearily looking at the stuffed cat. "I can never change what I feel about him."

With a sigh, Caith Sith crawled up onto her bed and wrapped his tiny arms around Aeris' neck. She hugged him back with a grin, snuggling him close.

"Thanks for talking to me. I feel a lot better...I think I'll sleep a bit more," the Cetra closed her eyes, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Goodnight, miss," Cait whispered, hopping onto his mog as silently as he could manage. "I hope you'll be all right. We all do."

**oooooooo **

Thoughts tore around Cloud's mind as the news came in the form of Cait Sith, and he could not say a single word. It wasn't like he hadn't tried; the words simply got caught in his throat like a traffic jam at rush hour. Cait's tone had been solemn as he had recounted what Aeris had told him before she had passed out again. Total silence had fallen like a blanket over the inn room, until it was broken by a muffled cry from Tifa. The martial artist was the first to speak, her voice throaty and hoarse.

"I...I never knew," Tifa whispered, anxiously wringing her hands. "She told me that there was a guy in her past, and that he had been a SOLDIER, but I never knew it was Sephiroth..."

"Aeris told me that he had changed," Cait interjected. "He was supposed to kill her but she thought that him seein' her and talkin' to her changed his mind."

"Why the hell was she hidin' from us?" Cid growled, his fists clenching at his sides.

"I dunno, guys," the cat shook his head with a sigh. "But I think she was going to go with him."

"So she was engaged to him?" asked Yuffie, unsually monotone. She looked away when Cait answered in the affirmative.

"I don't believe her that he's changed," Cloud had finally found his voice. "I think it's just some plan of Sephiroth's."

Cait looked uncertain. "I don't know. She was extremely happy about it, and she would know him the best out of all of us. Miss Aeris wouldn't lie about something like that."

"She's not in her right mind!" the ex-SOLDIER spat, suddenly rising from his chair. "I think he messed around with her head!"

"Cloud...," Tifa cautiously got up and placed one of her hands over his. He refused to look at her. "He didn't mess with her. She's showed me that ring before. I believe her."

With an infuriated cry, Cloud lunged towards Tifa. His hands found their way to her shoulders, and soon he was shaking her violently. Barret and Red startled at this, but Vincent was the one who tore the man away from a very shaken Tifa. He eyed Cloud cooly.

"Do not let your petty feelings of jealousy get in the way of making a rational decision," Vincent said in a low tone. "Just because she cannot be yours does not mean you should hurt others around you."

A small squeak echoed throughout the room; immediately, its occupants fixed their gaze to its source. Aeris stood in the doorway, her hands covering her mouth in shock.

"I'm so sorry," she choked, backing away slowly. "I've been a terrible burden to you all! I'm sorry for ever wasting your time!"

Without a backwards glance, the Cetra fled from the inn into the unforgiving wilderness.

**A/N: And the author said, let it be updated! Yes, I decided to continue this with thought to my first reviewer's suggestion. This will have a plot, believe it or not. Rating may go up, though. By the way, I do actually take Latin in school. I ain't usin' none of dem cheap translators.**

**Read and review, please! Your feedback is always appreciated. Please tell me if I messed something up. **


	3. Frigus

**Promises and Smiles**

**by Ruff Collie**

**Chapter Three: Frigus**

Snow was everywhere, a blinding white field that seemingly had no end. Even the sky seemed as if it had been doused in bleach, for Aeris could not tell the earth from the heavens. She knew what situation she was in and how dangerous it could be. Usually, if you were caught in a white-out, you never came out of it. Not that it mattered to the Cetra, though; at this point, she could care less about herself. Overhearing Cloud's cold remarks about her practically being insane had made her hide her face in shame, but him attacking Tifa over the issue made her realize she would only cause dischord for the party. After casting a manipulate spell on them after they tried to follow, there had only been one solution clear in her mind: she had to leave. Where she went did not matter. However, in the back of her mind, she secretly hoped she would somehow find Sephiroth, or that he would find her -- that is, if monsters did not find her first and rip her to bits.

Aeris shivered a bit, pulling the blanket she had grabbed before leaving the inn tighter around her body. The Cetra knew that she had to keep moving, otherwise her body temperature would plummet, and consequently, she would freeze to death. A small smirk twitched at the corners of her mouth. Dying like that was a bit depressing; no one would ever find her body, and she would be alone when the final hours came.

"Oh...so sleepy," the girl yawned, her head drooping slightly. "Just...I just want to sleep..."

With a violent shiver, Aeris shook herself out of her drowsy thoughts. If she fell asleep now, her demise would certainly come find her. Movement meant life, and she'd gladly choose that over death. Joining the Lifestream was not something she wanted to do yet.

"Sephiroth...," his name left her lips as a sigh, as she looked up at what she thought was the sky in silent prayer. Snowflakes stung and blinded her eyes. "I wish you c-could hear me. Please come f-find me. It's really cold out h-here, you know."

Shaking her head, the girl smiled sadly at her foolishness. The only one who could save her now was herself, not her lover. As much as Aeris hated to admit it, she was totally alone.

"Haha, what am I saying? I just need to keep going..."

**ooooooo **

Eyes snapped open frantically. Ice, cold. Pain. Gasping breaths that throbbed deep within his chest, and now he was on the verge of blacking out again. Pain, pain, pain. A voice? Her voice. She was speaking to him, telling him to come, come, come. No, not telling him, pleading him. She will die out there, alone in a deep, unyielding sleep. Fingers flexed slowly as he gathered up his strength, choking for the frigid air. Lungs, long starved, unwillingly ballooned. A few tentative first steps for balance. Shivering spasms coursed down his spine. Even dressing became a terrible gauntlet to run.

Countless minutes pass. Finally! Ready? Ready. Strength was back, the hilt of his wonderful, terrible sword grasped lovingly in his palm. Steeled against the tendrils of arctic wind that wrestled with his damp, silver strands of hair. A whisper, breathed more than spoken.

"I'm...coming."

**ooooooo **

Aeris squinted against the oncoming wind, steadying herself uncertainly. Her muscles were screaming at her to let them rest, and this time, she would listen. There was absolutely no way the Cetra would be getting out of this one alive; she had resigned to her fate. White was painted in every direction, and she could no longer tell which direction she had come from.

A dizzy rush sped through Aeris' head, and with a tiny sigh she dropped to the earth. Her eyelids were heavy with the enticing promise of eternal sleep. This time, the Ancient would gladly take it. Curling up under her blanket, she smiled hazily as she saw a dark form on the horizon. The girl knew who that was but also realized she was probably hallucinating. With one last look to the shape, she started to close her eyes. For some reason, she did not feel sad at all.

"Goodnight, Sephiroth," she giggled in an almost inebriated fashion. "Thanks for keeping me company, even if the only place you exist is in my mind..."

Just as Sephiroth's shadow reached her, Aeris slipped into the blissful nothingness of sleep.

**ooooooo **

"Damnit!"

Cloud kicked the wooden door of the shop closed violently then stormed off to his anxious party. Tifa looked as if she wanted to comfort her childhood friend, but refrained due to his current furious state. The group had searched the entire village for clues to Aeris' whereabouts, but it seemed as if the Cetra had simply vanished into the thin mountain air.

"Any news?" Tifa questioned softly, nervously wringing her fingers.

"Yes," Cloud said in an oddly monotone voice, staring out into the wilderness of snow. "Apparently, she somehow managed to snowboard down the mountain and into the wilderness. The people in the store claimed she's as good as dead now, especially with the coming blizzard. Once you go out there alone, you never return. If we went after her, it would be suicide."

"D-Damnit!" choked Cid, paling considerably. Yuffie's condition was not any better, as she promptly turned around and launched herself at the closest person, which happened to be Vincent. Emotionless, the ex-Turk slowly wrapped his good arm around the younger girl who had started to weep quietly. Red lay his nose in the snow next to a drooping Cait Sith, then closed his eyes tightly. He was the youngest in mind out of all of them and was taking it extremely hard. Barret simply stared off into space, the words not quite sinking into his shocked brain yet.

"No..." uttered Tifa, burying her head in her hands for a second. Hardening her wavering resolve, the martial artist stalked after Cloud, who had stomped off after relaying the news to his team. She felt bad for leaving the others, but felt as if it was her duty to comfort their leader.

She found him sitting in the snow, his back against the logs of a cabin. Snowflakes were resting in the spiked nest of his hair, and his faithful sword lay by his side as always. He made no move to show that he had seen her.

"Hey," Tifa tried to smile but failed miserably. She sat down next to Cloud who still refused to look at her. "I'm sorry, Cloud."

"Don't be," the ex-SOLDIER whispered, staring up at the sky. Startling at the words, Tifa stared at him for awhile.

"It's not just hard on you, Cloud," the martial artist said gently, reaching over to lay a hand on his arm. "We're all suffering greatly."

His eyes flitted towards Tifa for a split second before standing up abruptly. Sword in hand, he stared at her for awhile before speaking.

"I'm going after her. Forget about me."

With a yelp, Tifa scrambled to her feet. Throwing herself forward before Cloud could leave, she grasped his forearm desperately. Years of building up her streamlined muscles were the only thing that kept him in her grip, and she hoped to the Planet that the ex-SOLDIER would not escape.

"Cloud, no!" she cried, firming her shaky stance. "You'll die! We've already lost Aeris, and I don't want to lose you too!"

"Tifa, I have to," he looked at his feet, mentally shaking himself. "It was my fault, and there's still some chance she's alive."

"Even if she is, there's a blizzard coming! You'll both be lost if you leave!" Tifa could feel the prick of tears in the corners of her eyes. All she wanted at that moment was for Cloud to stay.

"Why?" asked Cloud softly, letting his sword-arm fall limp against his side. "What reason do I have to stay? I've pretty much sent her to her grave."

Tifa shook her head, then let it fall onto Cloud's shoulder as she carefully wrapped her arms around him; the ex-SOLDIER tensed immediately, unaccustomed to this sort of contact, especially with a woman.

"You have your friends," the martial artist murmered, tears stinging her eyes. "She wasn't lying about Sephiroth, you know. I could see it in her eyes, her love for him. When someone feels like that, you can usually tell, or at least I can. I have faith that he might actually save her."

Immediately, Tifa felt Cloud's muscles tensed underneath her grip. This only prompted her to hold him closer; at the moment, her greatest fear was letting him go.

"How can you even think to say that, Tifa? He destroyed Nibelheim, our lives!"

"I know," she whispered, a dull pain throbbing in her heart as she remembered her the night of her father's death, "but he's the only way she'll have a chance of living now."

"I still have to go," Cloud shook his head as he disengaged himself from her and turned to go. "There's no use for me here. No one will miss me."

"Cloud! Wait!" Tifa gasped, running after him after he stalked away, "Please, stay! Aeris is already fresh in our minds! If you left, things will be even worse!"

"Who even cares?" Cloud hissed, whipping his form around. "There's nothing left for me here! Give me one good reason why I should stay! I've practically murdered someone who we all hold dear, and no one mourns a murderer!"

"There's me, Cloud!" the woman half screamed. Her heart thudded against her chest, and she knew she only had a single shot at making him stay. "Why shouldn't you leave? Why? Because I love you! I have for a very long time, and if you died, I wouldn't be much better off! There's your damn reason! I'm only sorry it took such a long time for me to tell you!"

Stunned, the ex-SOLDIER melted out of his tense stance and stared at his childhood friend. She had ceased being angry and was only looking at him with a sad smile and something that appeared to be a yearning gleam in her wide brown eyes. Cloud opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out; he just didn't know what to say. Did he really want to destroy Tifa with his own selfishness? Did he actually want to hurt Tifa, one of his greatest friends? At the same time, did he really consider her only a friend? It was too much at the moment, just too much.

"I...need some time, Teef," Cloud muttered, shaking his head as she started towards him again. "I'm...I'm not going, okay? I just need to think."

And so Tifa was left there in the cold and snow, her heart nearly breaking as she watched the only man she had ever loved walk away.

**ooooooo**

She was so cold in his arms; it was as if her spirit had already long left her body. Sephiroth had watched her dazed fall on the snowy field and had immediately rushed forward to claim her from the Planet's grasp. It was not to have its protecter return to the Lifestream just yet. Only years of military training and practice had kept the ex-General calm as he vigorously rubbed Aeris' chilled flesh. Wrapped in his coat, she looked like a tiny china doll who would break if he moved her in the wrong way. The man knew what his options were, and the most rational one would be to take her into a cave within the glacier where a warm fire and supplies were present.

"You'll be okay, Aer," Sephiroth murmered, much like he had many years ago as a young boy. How fleeting those lost decades seemed on his mind! His own precious memories were like the leaves lost to a tree in late autumn; winter may have taken them, but they had returned by spring in a burst of new color. It was like the ex-General reverted back into a nearly childlike state whenever Aeris was nearby. She was safety to him, safety from his own desolute mind.

Hours passed uninhibited as the Planet flowed through the cycle of day it had been practicing since the beginning of time. Finally, a miniscule cave entrance became visible to Sephiroth, and he quickened his pace. Aeris was thankfully alive, kept warm by his body heat, his coat, and her blanket. Only his superhuman strength had allowed Sephiroth to reach the sanctuary as quickly as he had; without this aide, he knew that Aeris might not have survived. Jenova cells were good for one thing, at least.

**ooooooo **

Warmth rose through Aeris' body like a tidal wave; immediately her bright eyes snapped open. Certain parts of her body were throbbing painfully, but she was no longer freezing. Was she alive? Yes, she had to be. If she was dead, she wouldn't be in any kind of pain. Who had saved her? Glancing at her surroundings, she noticed that she seemed to be in some sort of icy cave. A tiny gasp emerged from her lips as she noisily sat up, yelping when she realized she was completely unclothed. Blushing vibrantly, the Cetra pulled the blanket around her tightly. A merry little fire crackled a few feet away from her, the obvious cause of her warmth.

"Why am I undressed? What sicko decided to do this?" she muttered angrily, failing to sense the prescence that loomed behind her.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before, darling," rumbled a deep, velvety voice. Aeris froze, her knuckles turning white as she fisted the blanket in her hands. She recognized those lovely tones. Eyes were trained forward as she twisted herself around and locked eyes with Sephiroth.

"You...came," Aeris whispered, raising a hand slowly to touch him. Was this just another foolish apparition of her delirious mind, or was it really him?

Catching her hand in his own, Sephiroth rapidly pulled her against his chest, inhaling her light, earthy scent. His arms were wrapped around her so tightly; he needed to feel that she was real and not just a figment of his imagination. For once in his life, the Great General Sephiroth had felt fear, fear at the notion that this beautiful beacon in his life might lose to death.

"Mmph! Gff uff mef!"

Sephiroth slowly relaxed his grip. Emerald eyes sparkled up at him, exhibiting heavy admiration.

"I missed you, Seph," she smiled brightly as she crawled behind him, reaching up to touch his long locks of hair. For some reason, when she was with him it felt completely natural to be clothed in only a blanket.

"As did-OW! AERIS!"

Giggling, Aeris continued to tug and twist Sephiroth's hair, ignoring his howls of anguish. Soon her deft fingers had worked his silver mane into a thick braid which coursed down his back, much to his annoyance. After sighing in defeat, he sent a withering glare her way which only caused her chime-like laughter to increase. Placing a hand on his pleated locks, the ex-General observed the jovial Cetra warmly.

"I suppose this is a punishment of some sort?" he asked dryly, fiddling with a strand of hair. "Oh, right. You used to do this when I did something I wasn't supposed to."

"Yup!" Aeris replied, resting her head on his shoulder with a content smirk. Wrapping her arms around him, she squeezed him tightly. He was so solid, so strong, and completely real. "And you can't take it out until I say so, mister!"

"Oh, really?" Sephiroth smirked as he suddenly disengaged her arms then whipped around and tackled her to the rocky floor of the cave. Ignoring her protesting shriek, he leaned forward and gently kissed her cheek. "Now who's in charge?"

"Ugh!" the Cetra groaned, trying her best to disguise the mirth in her eyes so that she could glare at him. "You weigh too much, Seph."

Frowning, Sephiroth stood up and crossed his arms over his chest with a loud 'hmph!'.

"Are you saying I'm fat, woman?"

"What if I am?" replied Aeris, picking herself up and readjusting the blanket around her shoulders.

"You'll pay for that!" the ex-SOLDIER growled, his lips twitching as he desperately tried to hold down a smile. Launching himself towards Aeris, he managed to trap her again in his unyielding arms. As much as she stuggled and yelped, the Cetra just could not free herself this time. With a sigh of defeat, she went limp against him.

"Oh, Aeris," Sephiroth sighed as he shook his head, eyeing her in amusement. The Cetra must of been tired, because she never gave up a fight with Sephiroth so quickly. "I'd advise that you rest more. Your body has been pushed to its limit during the past few days, and you really shouldn't overdo it."

"I know," Aeris smiled, her eyelids drooping a bit, "I just missed you a lot. It's been a long time since we've played like that."

With a slight smile, Sephiroth carefully wrapped the blanket around the Cetra a bit tighter and then picked her up off the ground to carry her back to her original place of rest. As the ex-General gently set her down again and turned to leave, he noticed he was rather stuck. Pale fingers were wrapped around his forearm stubbornly, absolutely refusing to loosen their grip.

"Fine, I'll stay," the man muttered. Noting his acceptance, Aeris shot him a smug look; he glared back as he sat down next to her prostate form. Mock-angry looks soon melted away into loving glances as Sephiroth began to stroke her tangled hair.

This silent exchange of feelings was what Aeris had longed for the most. After nights filled with dreams of fleeting joy and reunion, this moment seemed all too real and so much more better than any conjuration of a grief-torn conscience. Being reunited with Sephiroth was something that had seemed so absurd that the Cetra had long ago outwardly given up hope. However, in the back of her mind, she always knew that there was something missing.

"Goodnight," she whispered, falling deep into sleep's dark embrace. Sephiroth smiled.

"Sleep well, my dear."

**ooooooo **

_You are..._

"...who?"

_Daughter..._

"My mother...she's dead!"

_He is a traitor..._

"Who? What?"

_They've all lied..._

"...about what?"

_...your friends. Him..._

"What do you mean?"

_I'd never hurt this Planet..._

"Then you're...!"

_Don't be alarmed, daughter..._

"Calamity..."

_All lies. I only came to help..._

"It can't be the truth..."

_...heal. I can heal the Planet._

"But its cries..."

_...confusion._

"The Cetra, my ancestors..."

_...tried to help..._

"How can I trust you? You drove Sephiroth insane!"

_...his own unsettled mind, he could not handle it..._

"Then..."

_Come to me, my beloved daughter..._

"Jenova..."

_I only want to help. You want to heal the Planet, don't you?_

"...yes..."

_...I am on the Ancients' side..._

"Tell me where I need to go..."

_I'll lead you there, daughter..._

**ooooooo**_  
_

Sweat covered Sephiroth's body as he propelled himself forward with an explosive gasp. Something was wrong, and the first thing that popped into his drowsy mind was Aeris. Sitting up fully, he frantically settled his gaze towards the space next to him.

"Aeris!"

She was gone.

**oooooo**

**A/N: The plot thickens, and Jenova joins the fun! I decided to make her sentient. :P Sorry if anything sounds weird; I'm exhausted from homecoming. Here's a spoiler: one other member of AVALANCHE is going to join Jenova! You can have fun guessing who. Poor Aeris. Things just keep getting worse for her. By the way, I guess I should tell you what the names of the chapters are in english.  
**

**Chapter One: In Memoriâ - In Memory  
Chapter Two: Calamitas et Sua Rosa - The Calamity and His Rose  
Chapter Three: Frigus - The Cold of Winter  
**


	4. Articulus

**Promises and Smiles**

**by Ruff Collie **

**Chapter Four - Articulus (Crisis)**

_Come...come to me..._

"Who's there?"

_Only me...and my daughter..._

"That doesn't explain anything!"

_Hush, child...she wishes for you to join us._

"Who?"

_My daughter, this Planet's daughter..._

"...are you talking about Aeris?"

_Yes, my dear..._

"You're lying. She's dead."

_No, no...she's very much alive._

"...how?"

_...she was saved...she wants you to join us..._

"I can't trust you."

_Would my daughter ever wish to harm anyone or anything?_

"No..."

_I know you've missed her..._

"I..."

_Come, now..._

"...all right."

Shadows cloaked Nanaki's shining crimson coat as he padded out of the inn as quietly as he could manage. Eerie, cold moonlight bathed him, turning every strand of fur on his body an incadescent silver. His thick pelt kept the freezing needles of winter from piercing his skin, and the everlasting flame on his tail burned brighty; it was creating a path to walk in the darkness. Bits of the startling mental conversation he had taken part in a few minutes prior to his departure were recalled as he pondered. One of the consequences of being part of Hojo's experiments was that he liked to mix DNA. Nanaki had quickly caught on to the fact that he was talking to Jenova, but what he didn't realize was his mental vulnerability after losing Aeris. If nothing had happened to her, he definitely would not have followed.

Something was tugging at his soul, pulling him along with an enticing melody. Notes flowed around the edges of Nanaki's subconcious, and it was almost as if the Planet itself was singing joyfully. Shaking his head, the creature smiled. The Planet was in pain, so of course would not be wasting its time with silly little amusements. It had to be someone or something else, and he was absolutely positive that whatever was making the music was as beautiful as their song.

Miles passed underneath his great paws, but it seemed as if he had only passed a few feet. Rivers of sound caressed his mind as his body flowed along the barren wilderness, and days continued to pass. Rest was not quite as important as it used to be; Nanaki found he could travel for a much longer period of time without a break. After a few days, he had arrived at the base of the Northern Crater, the source of the song. Lulled into a daze, he slowly sank to the earth and blinked up at the towering walls.

Without warning, a small hand came to rest upon his snow dampened mane. Too hazy to even growl, Nanaki simply stared up with as much shock as he could muster; Aeris was hovering over him, a slight smile painted on her face.

"Aeris..." he whispered, touching his cold nose to the palm of her hand. She giggled.

"I'm sorry you're so tired, Red. Mother was lending you her strength until now, which is why you're so weak."

"I have a question," Nanaki sighed, shaking out his fur a tiny bit. "How do you know we can trust her?"

"You haven't heard Mother's wonderful plan yet!" the Cetra grinned broadly and clasped her hands together, excited. "Meteor really isn't a bad thing, even if we have to hurt the Planet a lot in summoning it. See, the Lifestream will gather where it strikes. I wish I had known about this before!"

"But I thought that was a bad thing," murmered Red, fighting to stay awake.

"No, it's not," Aeris replied patiently, stroking his fur carefully. "It will not only heal that wound, but every single one the Planet has gained over its lifetime. We're helping the Planet."

"But...what about all the people?" Red struggled to stay awake; he was rapidly slipping into unconsciousness.

"That's the only bad part," she sighed sadly, staring up at the crater with a wavering gaze. "All those people...but the Planet always creates new life! All those people? They'll live again in a happier time! No more Shinra! And us..." She leaned in slowly to speak the last thing he heard before slipping off into the land of dreams.

"With the power of the Lifestream coursing through us, we'll live forever as guardians of this Planet!"

**0000000**

Harsh needles of sunlight made Sephiroth squint up at the looming mountain in front of him. After a week of searching for Aeris, he had almost lost hope. With each passing day his desperation grew, and he wanted to believe that she was still alive; however, the chances of her survival in the snowy wilderness were slim. It seemed like the last place to search would be the Planet's great wound, the Northern Crater.

Strangely enough, when Sephiroth had awakened to find Aeris gone, he noticed that the Black Materia was missing as well. The thought crossed his mind that she had not trusted him enough to let him carry it. With a sigh, he realized that she was perfectly correct in taking it, especially with his past. All he wanted to know was why she left and if it was of her own accord. If someone was hurting his beloved Cetra, he'd make them suffer a long, painful death.

Sephiroth's grip tightened around Masamune's hilt as he forced himself to calm down. Anger was best saved until it was needed and when he could actually act upon it. An explosion of feelings he had not felt in nearly half a decade had encompassed him lately, and he needed to revert back to his tactful mind if he wished to make sound decisions. A mind in distress could very well lead him to his death, which he did not want to try and test. With the whole world opened up to him now, he honestly wanted to live and make up for all the lost years with Aeris if he had the chance. Shaking his mind out of his thoughts, Sephiroth steeled himself for the climb ahead.

"All right, Mr. Glacier," he mumbled, gripping an ice-covered rock with a grimace. At least he had his wonderful gloves. "No tricks. Just let me climb."

_Two hours later..._

Panting heavily, Sephiroth grinned widely as soon as he reached the top of his obstacle. A short, barking laugh of triumph resounded through the thin air. Sephiroth waved the Masamune through the air victoriously, quite pleased with himself for being able to make it to the top of the Northern Crater. Now all that was left was the descent; he was sure that climb would be much easier, but he had liked the challenge the upwards scale had presented him with. Glancing downward, Sephiroth mentally calculated how deep the crater was; it seemed to go pretty far down and would take him a bit of time to travel, not to mention all the monsters that made their residence here. He'd have to watch out for Tonberries.

An eerie green glow was pulsating in the center of the wound, something Sephiroth noticed as he climbed deeper. After searching his mind for a possible reason, the ex-General came to the conclusion that the Lifestream ran free here and was slowly healing the Planet. With a slight smile, he stared down at it for a bit. It really was a beautiful thing to watch, just like the Planet's cycle of death and rebirth. Souls existed as long as their matter was left undisturbed, something Shinra obviously did not realize or simply did not care about. Either way, all of the top executives would someday become part of the Planet's healing flow, and Sephiroth was almost entirely sure that they would not want to be sucked up and burned to create energy for those still living.

What was odd was that Sephiroth faced no opposition as he descended, a fact that troubled him deeply. Something was definitely going on down there, and it was most likely not a very good something. It seemed like the monsters had been scared away by something or had obeyed someone's call; none of those would bode well for him.

As Sephiroth reached what appeared to be the bottom of the abyss after countless hours, he noticed a fuzzy, dark figure kneeling in front of the great fountain of mako spraying out from within the Planet. Cautiously, he lifted the Masamune to a guarded position while edging quietly forward, keeping on the lookout for any sign of movement from the figure. Moving closer, Sephiroth strained his eyes to see who or what it was; what he saw made him nearly drop his sword.

Curled up in front of the mako geyser was Aeris with lightly closed eyes and a small smile planted on her slightly pursed lips. Neon light from the Lifestream illuminated her face, creating strange shadows and masking a few features. Sephiroth approached her slowly as if she was some sort of fabled apparation that would disappear if he placed a single finger on her. It appeared as if she had not noticed him yet, so he reached out to touch her shoulder and cleared his dry throat to speak.

"Aeris..."

Immediately, the Cetra's form tensed as her eyes fluttered open and she sucked in a breath. Gradually, she got to her feet and turned around, a haunting look in her eyes. Sephiroth was bewildered when she hissed angrily and glared at him with deep accusation stamped on to her fair features. A single slap sent his hand back to his side as the ex-General stared at her in confusion.

"Aeris...?"

"Bastard!" she snarled, almost shaking in fury. "Why did you start to hurt the Planet?"

"Aeris," Sephiroth addressed her calmly, wondering what in Ifrit's name she was going on about, "I haven't hurt the Planet in any way..."

"You're only hurting it!" Aeris shot back, pointing an accusing finger at his chest. "Mother knows what is best, and that's Meteor! You've turned your back on helping this Planet and me!"

"Mother?" Sephiroth felt his blood run cold at the word. "Aeris, no! Jenova's just using you! Why is she even speaking to you?"

"She's not using me! I was gifted with her cells as a child!" growled the Cetra. "YOU were using me! Meteor will gather the Lifestream to heal the Planet! Don't you understand?"

The hard glint in her eyes softened somewhat as Aeris looked her lover over, then suddenly, she embraced him warmly. Shocked silence blared throughtout the crater as she stared up at Sephiroth lovingly, reaching up to stroke his cheek gently with a chilled hand. He winced.

"Oh, sweetie, Mother didn't tell you about her wonderful plans," she smiled, stroking his brilliant hair lovingly. "No wonder you're so confused..."

"Aeris..." Sephiroth untangled himself from Aeris' arms and averted his eyes to Masamune. "I understand enough to know that Jenova is feeding you lies, like she has done to me throughout the whole of my life."

"You haven't even heard it yet," Aeris murmered, tears shining in her eyes as she fixed her gaze on Sephiroth. "Mother told me that Meteor is good! The Planet's just confused. The Lifestream, pooled in a single place, will be under my command. I'll heal all of Gaea's wounds!"

Feeling somewhat upset for making Aeris cry, Sephiroth sighed in frustration and stalked over to pull her against him warmly.

"How can you even be sure this is true?"

Aeris faltered a bit, burying her face in his chest to hide her eyes. "It makes a lot of sense, Seph. I can hear the Planet crying, and I want so desperately to save it..."

"Aeris, don't listen to him!"

Startled, Sephiroth immediately brandished Masamune in the direction from which the voice had emeraged. A hissing cat-like creature stalked out of the shadows, bright red fur standing on end. Flame-tipped tail swishing, he growled lowly as Aeris disengaged herself from Sephiroth's grasp and ran over to hide behind the creature.

"He has not listened to Mother, so he is useless to us," he said, glaring at Sephiroth through his one eye.

"But Nanaki..." Aeris hesitated. "He has Mother's cells in him...can't we still change his mind?"

"He's too far gone," the creature known as Nanaki nuzzled her leg gently. "We can't afford any more opposition like this. Cloud and the others will be here soon. It's time."

"Do you think I can do it?" Aeris uttered excitedly, fishing around in her pocket for something. It was as if she had completely forgotten Sephiroth in her fervor.

"Of course, Aer," Nanaki purred, smiling at her. At the sound of his nickname for Aeris, Sephiroth felt his control on his temper slip even further. "You have the blood of the Cetra flowing through your veins. This is what you were meant to do in protecting the Planet."

"All right, then," she whispered, pulling the Black Materia out of her pocket with an eerie smirk that reminded Sephiroth of himself years ago. Realizing he could not let her summon Meteor, he rushed forward in an attempt to take it from her. Aeris watched in cruel amusement as he cried out from the impact of a barrier she had placed around herself.

"I loved you," the Cetra sighed, staring down at Sephiroth in pity. "It's too bad you don't want to help. Oh, well. You'll come around once you see the work I've done for Gaea. If you wish to join us after it's all over, I'll be where Midgar used to be. For now, I'll stay in Wutai."

Dark spears of light began to flash out of the Black Materia as Aeris focused her power on the destructive magic. In the energetic wind that began to flow, her long hair became unbraided and stung her face like tiny whips. Apparently, the Cetra did not mind because her eyes were closed and she appeared very undisturbed. No matter how badly he wanted to rush forward and stop her, Sephiroth could only stand back and watch in horror as his beloved Aeris began to pulsate with unprescedented power. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open; they were still green but possessed the sharp light of mako within the irises. With a serene smile, she lifted the materia about her head and stared up at it calmly.

"Summon Meteor!"

Boulders began to crumble as the earth began to shake violently in its task to pull Meteor towards it. Nearly losing his balance, Sephiroth stumbled towards Aeris and attempted to grab on to her. She only smiled mysteriously at him before rapidly taking Nanaki and alighting to the air, obviously a recently discovered benefit that the Jenova cells had gifted her with. When Sephiroth finally had the oppertunity to give chase, he discovered that in the confusion the Ancient and her feline friend had disappeared.

"Aeris!" he screamed, then shook his head violently. It wasn't her fault for getting decieved. "No! Jenova! I will rip apart your miserable body tentacle by tentacle once I find you! You'll never manipulate me or someone I love again!"

**0000000**

With a yelp, Tifa shielded herself from impact as the snow covered ground began to groan and shake; the impact never came. Instead, Cloud had caught her and was wildly taking in their surroundings as snow was sent up into the air as whirling flurries. After discovering that Red had disappeared some time in the night, the group had made a slow trek towards the Northern Crater where his paw prints seemed to lead. It was most likely where Aeris had headed as well, so they were filled with hope that Red may have sensed her and run after her into the wilderness.

"What's going on?" Cloud yelled over the noise, not setting his eyes on his friends.

"I don't know, but I don't think it's good!" Cait yipped back, bouncing on the ground in a way that would have been painful if he had been real.

"Damnit!" cursed Barret, the only one able to keep his balance decently. "What da hell? I sure hope Aeris and Red are okay!"

Already sick from the tumultuous motion, Yuffie could only hang limply in Vincent's arms and moan loudly. Vincent, however, was fully alert with his gun completely ready. Crimson eyes were narrowed and calculating as all the possible explanations for the earthquake. Someone let out an ear-splitting scream; everyone turned towards Tifa who was as white as a sheet and was staring up at the sky in terror. Cloud, along with his friends, slowly turned his gaze to the heavens.

It hovered over the Planet in a dreadful prescense as a terrible reminder of their fate; Meteor, the product of the ultimate black magic materia, had been summoned.

"Look!" shrieked Yuffie, weakly pointing towards the sky. For some reason, Aeris was hovering over them with Red held tightly in her arms. Her dark hair was completely unbound, and her eyes were filled with a cold, arrogant light. Shouts and calls pulled her gaze towards the group.

"Aeris! Red! Get yer dead asses down here!" Cid hollered, taking a long drag of his cigarette after blinking and shaking his head.

"No," she replied softly, but loud enough for the group to hear. They looked at each other, puzzled.

"Why, Aeris?" asked Cloud, worry creeping into his already strained voice.

"You tried to trick me into destroying the Planet," the Cetra replied coolly, crossing her arms over her chest. "But it doesn't matter now. I have summoned Meteor, and soon the Planet will be singing with joy as I heal it."

"Wait! Ya mean ta tell me dat ya called dat giant space rock?" Barret questioned increduously. "Wait, does dat mean ya boy Sephiroth helped ya too?"

"No!" spat Aeris, looking away as a brief expression of pain flashed over her face. "He betrayed Mother in supposedly returning to me! He's on YOUR side now, refusing to take part in the glorious renewal of the Planet!"

"Sorry to ask, but Red? Why?" Cait said anxiously, peeping out from his hiding spot behind his mog.

"I was gifted with Mother's cells from Hojo," Nanaki replied quietly, swishing his tail idly. "I trust her and Aeris alone."

"We must go," Aeris said suddenly, panic crossing her face for a brief second. "Mother calls me."

"Wait!" Cloud called, desperately reaching out for her. However, all he could grasp was empty air and doomed snowflakes which had begun to descend from the weeping heavens. Wind swirled where Red and Aeris had once been as if they never really existed at all except in the conjurations of wandering minds. Silence held a tyrannical reign over the group as they sorted out what to say. Without Holy, the demise of Gaea was completely locked in. The battle already seemed lost.

Like death itself, Sephiroth suddenly shot into the party's line of vision as he glided swiftly towards where Aeris had come from. Seeing who he onced considered enemies on the ground, he slowed his pace and addressed them.

"She's headed towards Wutai!" he called to them. "She plans on destroying Midgar!"

Angered, Tifa wrenched herself out of Cloud's grasp to point an accusing finger towards Sephiroth who was watching her rather calmly.

"Why should we trust you?" she screeched loudly, turning red from her fury. Tears pooled around the corners of her eyes; the martial artist fought them valiantly. She would not let her memories of that night get in her way.

"Because I am the only source you have for this information!" snapped Sephiroth, loosing his patience for a split second. "You can either trust me or watch millions of people perish in a few seconds! What we need to focus on is freeing Aeris from Jenova's control so that she can summon Holy to stop Meteor!"

"Why do you even care?" Yuffie asked quietly, shaking from the rage building inside of her. "You destroyed my hometown, and now you want to save it? None of this makes any sense! Why are you even helping us?"

"I've made some changes, which you can believe or not!" the ex-General hissed, turning in mid-air impatiently. "I must go. If you won't stop her, then I will. Choose what you want."

With that, Sephiroth was gone as he raced after whom was once the Planet's greatest ally, but had turned into its greatest adversary. The irony of their switched positions of good and evil was taunting and overwhelming; he needed to clear his mind of anything but his motives and mission. In this situation, however, it was terribly difficult.

So he continued the chase of cat and mouse with Aeris, growing ever closer to Wutai; all the while, Meteor burned in the sky as a taunting reminder of his race against time.

_The Doomed—regard the Sunrise  
With different Delight—  
Because—when next it burns abroad  
They doubt to witness it—_

_The Man—to die—tomorrow—  
Harks for the Meadow Bird—  
Because its Music stirs the Axe  
That clamors for his head—_

_Joyful—to whom the Sunrise  
Precedes Enamored—Day—  
Joyful—for whom the Meadow Bird  
Has ought but Elegy!_

-Emily Dickinson

**0000000**

**A/N: I've decided on the ending of this. Not dropping any hints, though. I believe this has a few more chapters in it, so review and stay tuned!**


End file.
